Knicks Fall to Hawks Amidst Top Pick's Breakout

Top rookie Zaccharie Risacher's first breakout ended the New York Knicks' road trip on a sour note.

Nov 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) fights for rebound with Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks played witness to some early history but it's safe to say they didn't enjoy it.

Zaccarie Risacher's infantile career night ended the Knicks' first major road trip of the season on a sour note, as New York dropped a 121-116 decision to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at State Farm Arena.

Risacher, the debut pick from the most recent draft, came into Wednesday's tilt averaging 9.4 points over his first eight professional showings but broke loose for a team-best 33 points en route to the victory.

With most of that tally built through a 6-of-10 effort from three-point range, Risacher became the fifth rookie sink at least six from deep against the Knicks. Lauri Markkanen holds the record with eight while Mike Miller, Landry Shamet, and Coby White have likewise pulled that off.

In addition to Risacher's breakout, those gathered in Atlanta also enjoyed double-doubles from Jalen Johnson (23 points, 15 rebounds) and old friend Trae Young (23 points, 10 assists), who likewise played solid defense on Jalen Brunson toward the end of the game, allowing Atlanta to secure an impressive victory at home.

Despite trailing for most of Wednesday's game, the Knicks (3-4) seemed to be in good shape when Karl-Anthony Towns sank a three-pointer to score what became the last of his team-best 34. With a five-point lead in hand, the Knicks had further momentum inch their way when they earned a successful reversal via challenge when Towns was accused of having a block bounce off him out of bounds.

Nov 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) grabs a rebound against the New York Knicks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

From there, however, Atlanta (4-5) embarked on a 16-6 run to close the game: Clint Capela, who dominated the Knicks in the paint all the night played the hero by hitting the free throws that completed Atlanta's mini-comeback at 1:09 before slamming down an emphatic dunk that pushed the lead to three 23 seconds later.

With the loss, the Knicks not only dropped the latter half of a four-game road trip after wins in Miami and Detroit but have also now lost consecutive games for the first time this season. In addition to Towns' sixth consecutive double-double (he also pulled in 16 rebounds, wasted in the effort was a night of 22 three-pointers, tied for the second-best single-game mark in franchise history. While the Knicks were handing business on the outside, interior antics once again chapped to bite them, as they lost the points-in-the-paint battle 58-36.

It was clear from the get-go that Wednesday was going to be an uphill battle for the Knicks: the Hawks scored the first seven points of the game, forcing the comeback effort. While they completed it in the second through a successful and-one and a three-pointer for Towns, creating a seven-point lead after Josh Hart followed up with a triple of his own, the Hawks had the lead back by the end of the half.

The Knicks will briefly return home on Friday night when they face the reeling Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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